Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-09
DASHED TO DEATH.
George B. Bradford's Fall fnom ths
Fourth Story of the Western HoNel.

! George B. Bradford's Fall fr'm ths
Fourth Story of the Western HcSel.
! About 1:S0 A. N. yesterday John II. Ban
son, one of the guests at the Western
Hotel, was awakened by the violent open
ing of a window above him, and heard a
noise as of something heavy falling on the
| roof below, and almost instantly falling
again. which was followed by moaning.
He remained in bed short time, but as the
groaning appeared to be directly beneath
his window, he got up, raised the window,
looked out and saw what he supposed to be
man lying on the pavement below. Not
feeling satisfied that it was a man, he re-
turned to bed, but still hearing sounds of
distress, dressed himself, took another look
and went down to the Office. He re-
ported from room No. 132, when he should
have given the number as No.l52, and owing
to the mistake the wrong courtyard was ex-
amined, and no one found lying there.
Mr.. Benson returned to his room, looked
out of the window, and saw the same OBJ
ject. He called the bell-boy, who looked
and was satisfied that it was man; the
right court was examined, and the lifeless
body of George B. Bradford was found
lying on the pavement An examination
showed that he must have alighted upon
his feet, as his legs were driven up into his
body by the force of the fall of about fifty
feet. His right leg was broken above the
ankle and the right arm near the wrist,
but the head and face and upper portion of
the body were uninjured. The Deputy
Coroner was notified and took charge of
the remains, leaving word for the deceased's
room to be unopened until later in the day.
About A. n. he returned, and after about
half an hours work, the door being locked
and bolted on the inside and the catch of
the lock turned on, it was opened by using
a stick through the transom.
The lower sash of the window was found
open. leaving space of three by three and
a half feet. Deceased's hat was on the bed,
his coat and vest hung up, and his pants
on the floor. A gold collar button was
fonnd on the washstand, 75 cents in his
watch pocket, and chain and silver watch
in his vest. There was a collar but no
scarf.
1t was subsequently learned that de-
ceased, who was son of Mrs. Louise Faw-
cett, residing at Ninth and n streets, and a
step-brother of William Fawcett, manager
of the Silver Palace Hotel, came up from
San Francisco by the o'clock train Wed
nesday evening, and called upon his mother
about $50. He was sober and in excellent
spirits. During his stay he exhibited five
or six twenty-dollar pieces, and was OBJ
served to be wearing an emerald pin with
about twelve diamonds set in a cluster.
AS the room he usually occupied when he
visited his mother had been engaged by
some one else for the fair, he said he
would take lunch and get a room at
hotel, and he left his mothers about $50,
and between 10 and 1890 applied at the
Western for room, and was shown to one
on the upper floor. The night clerk and
bell boy both say that he seemed to be per-
fectly sober, to be feeling well and spoke
pleasantly, and neither OF them noticed
that he wore pin.
Coroner Clark held an inquest last even
ing, when the above facts were elected.
There was no evidence obtainable tending
to show what became of the money and
pin he had in his possession when he left
his mothers. They could not have been
taken from his room after his death, for it
was impossible for any one to get into it
until it was opened in the presence of the
Coroner. The jury were unable to decide
whether his fall was accidental or other
wise.
Deceased was a native of England, AZ
years of age, by occupation a barkeeper
and was recently so employed at Sen
Rafael, though he claimed San Francisco
as MS nome. he naQ Travelled great Oeal
and was well informed as to the ways of
the world. Though sociable and pleasant
among friends, he rarely had any associate
with whom he ran around" While he
may have lost his money that night at
game of cards, and subsequently the pin in
an effort to recover the money, he may
have left them with some friend. 1t is not
thought by those best acquainted with him
that their loss would lead HIM to commit
suicide. 1t is also said that be was liable
to attacks of dizziness. On the other hand,
as Mr.. Benson said he heard noise as if
the body in falling struck the roof of the
kitchen, it was examined, but there was
nothing to show that it had been fallen
upon but some galvanized iron pipes run
ring up the side of the kitchen, were in
dented, as they might be if he had struck
them and then bounded of and fallen to
the cement pavement below. As these
pipes were fifteen or sixteen feet from the
wall in which the window of his room is
located it would have been necessary for
him to spring from his window, instead of
fall, to come in contact with them, though
they were far below.